A mindset keynote speaker who has tested it at sea
Talent opens doors. Mindset decides what happens when things go wrong. Paris Norriss, keynote speaker on grit and mindset and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, built The Grit Code from what he learned rowing the Pacific in 2023 with three teammates and running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
What a mindset keynote with Paris covers
Grit Mindset Mastery
What really drives performance when talent isn’t enough.
Grit Deconstruction
Resilience broken into skills teams can build.
Expert insights
Lessons from 25 of the world’s most tenacious high achievers.
Practical tools
Practical tools for teams under pressure.
Who books it
Leadership teams
A shared language for pressure, setbacks and long goals.
Sales kick-offs
Set the tone for a demanding year.
HR and L&D leads
Resilience as a skill your people can train.
Conference organisers
A main-stage story with real footage. Past stages include TEDx Amman, COP28 and Expo 2020 Dubai; clients include Nokia, DHL, Dubai Airports, IHG and UN Tourism.
Choose the format
Keynote
The full mindset keynote, live on stage, including Q&A.
Workshop
A hands-on session for leadership and sales teams.
Virtual keynote
The same message, delivered online.
From the organisers
I’ve had the privilege of witnessing Paris Norriss in action as a storyteller, motivator and a true catalyst for transformation. Through his powerful awe-inspiring adventures, he doesn’t just recount tales of endurance and grit, he lives them.
Paris is both captivating and uplifting. We appreciated his open, honest, and heartfelt journey. His raw and genuine account of his pioneering adventure underlines his resilience and grit against any obstacle he faced. His story is highly impactful and we found it inspiring to deliver more passion, energy and a collaborative spirit.
I had the pleasure of working with Paris during TEDxAmman, the largest TEDx event in the MENA region, where he joined us as one of our inspiring speakers. From the very start, he showed professionalism, positivity, and contagious enthusiasm that uplifted everyone around him.
Mindset as a trainable skill
Paris treats mindset as something people practise, not something they are born with. His keynote, The Grit Code, breaks a strong mindset into habits: how you talk to yourself under pressure, how you set goals you can actually reach, and how you respond when things go wrong.
He tested those habits on a 4,800 km Pacific row in 2023 with three teammates, and on 7 marathons across 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes. Audiences see the footage and hear what was going through his head at the hardest moments.
How mindset shows up at work
- Change and uncertainty. Teams adopting AI or restructuring need a way to stay steady when the future is unclear.
- Targets and pressure. Sales and commercial teams need a mindset that survives a bad quarter.
- Wellbeing. A healthy mindset includes rest and recovery, not just pushing harder.
- Leadership. Leaders set the emotional tone, so their own mindset shapes the team’s.
Paris brings his experience as CEO of Blazing Sand Studios to each of these points, so the talk connects adventure to everyday business.
Trusted by global brands
Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly. Paris is also a regular host of AI Talks by Founders, and his TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries.
Who Paris is
Paris studied at Edinburgh University, specialising in finance, and has spent 17 years in the Gulf making TV shows that uncover the culture of the Middle East. He founded Blazing Sand Studios and is its CEO. That mix of business, media and expedition experience means the mindset keynote speaks to commercial leaders as well as to people who simply want to get better at hard things.
Formats, timing and next steps
Most organisers book a 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote with Q&A. Teams that want to go further add the Grit Deconstruction workshop, which runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the talk into habits and commitments the group can use on Monday morning.
A 30–45 minute virtual version is available for remote or hybrid audiences. Paris can also host the full day as MC, which keeps the tone consistent from the opening to the close. He is CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, so the briefing call covers both the audience’s goals and the practical run-of-show.
Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly. His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views. The talk draws on the 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, and on the 2023 Pacific row of 4,800 km that raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
To book, share the date, venue or virtual platform, audience size and the outcome you want. Paris replies with a short outline tailored to your room, then joins a briefing call before the event.
Common questions
What is a mindset keynote?
A talk that helps an audience think and act differently under pressure. Paris’s version, The Grit Code, uses his expeditions to teach practical mindset habits.
How long is the mindset keynote?
Usually 45–60 minutes including Q&A. A 30–45 minute virtual version and a 90-minute to half-day workshop are also available.
Is the talk suitable for all levels of an organisation?
Yes. It works for all-hands meetings as well as senior leadership offsites, and Paris tailors the examples to the room.
Can the keynote be tailored to our industry?
Yes. Paris holds a briefing call before each event to shape the talk around your audience and goals.
Does Paris speak outside the Middle East?
Yes. He speaks at conferences and company events worldwide, in person or virtually.
Book a mindset keynote
Tell us the date, the audience and what you want them to walk out with. See the full Grit Code keynote.